Lighting system, lighting device, and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

A lighting system includes a plurality of lighting devices including a controller transmitting and receiving data by using near field communications (NFC) The lighting system further includes a control device that collects identification information for the plurality of respective lighting devices through the NFC communications before the plurality of lighting devices are installed. The control device also generates settings data to control the plurality of lighting devices, based on the identification information, and then transmits the generated settings data to the plurality of respective lighting devices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No.15/228,576, filed Aug. 4, 2016, which claims priority from Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2015-0177046 filed on Dec. 11, 2015 in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a lighting system, a lighting device,and a control method thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

As lighting technology converges with various aspects of informationtechnology, research into smart lighting technology, in which varioustypes of illumination may be implemented according to an externalenvironment or setting by a user, has been actively conducted. In smartlighting technology, a plurality of lighting devices installed in aspecific area are respectively identified and distinguished from eachother based on predetermined identification information, and differentcommands may be transmitted to the plurality of lighting devices usingwired/wireless communications technology or Internet-of-Things (IoT)technology, to implement various lighting schemes, control illuminationper channel and space, and the like.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments provide a lighting system, a lighting device, and acontrol method thereof, by which identification information given to aplurality of lighting devices included in a lighting system is collectedby a control device based on near field communication (NFC) technology,thereby increasing convenience of installation of a plurality oflighting devices and improving security while discouraging malicioushacking attempts.

According to an aspect of an example embodiment, a lighting system mayinclude a plurality of lighting devices. Each of the plurality oflighting devices may include a controller configured to transmit andreceive data by using near field communications (NFC); and a controldevice configured to collect identification information of each of theplurality of lighting devices through the NFC communications prior tothe plurality of lighting devices being installed; based on theidentification information, generate settings data for controlling theplurality of lighting devices; and transmit the settings data to each ofthe plurality of lighting devices.

According to an aspect of another example embodiment, a lighting devicemay include: a light source including a plurality of light emittingelements; a driving circuit configured to output driving power to thelight source; and a controller configured to control the drivingcircuit. The controller may include a near-field communication (NFC) tagcommunicating with an external control device through NFC and storingpredetermined identification information. The controller may be furtherconfigured to transmit the predetermined identification informationstored in the NFC tag to the external control device through the NFCwhen the controller receives a request for the predeterminedidentification information from the external control device.

According to an aspect of another example embodiment, a method ofcontrolling a lighting device may include: reading identificationinformation of each of a plurality of lighting devices throughnear-field communication (NFC) prior to the plurality of lightingdevices being installed; mapping the identification information toinstallation information of the each of the plurality of lightingdevices; based on the mapped identification information, generatingsettings data for controlling the plurality of lighting devices; andtransmitting the settings data to at least one of the plurality oflighting devices through the NFC.

According to an aspect of another example embodiment, a control devicefor a lighting system may include: a near-field communication (NFC)module configured to receive identification information of each of aplurality of lighting devices and transmit settings data to the each ofthe plurality of lighting devices by using an NFC, wherein the pluralityof lighting devices are prior to receive power; a memory configured tostore installation information for the plurality of lighting devices;and a processor configured to generate the settings data by mapping theidentification information to installation information of the each ofthe plurality of lighting devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects, features and other advantages of thepresent disclosure will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a lighting device according to an exampleembodiment;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are drawings illustrating near field communication (NFC)between a control device and a lighting device in a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic block diagrams of a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a lightingdevice according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 7A is a sequence diagram of an operation of a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment;

FIG. 7B is a drawing illustrating an operation of a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic illustrations of white light sourcemodules that may be applied to a lighting device according to an exampleembodiment;

FIG. 9 is a Comission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) 1931 colorspace chromaticity diagram illustrating operations of white light sourcemodules according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating a wavelength conversion material thatmay be applied to a light source of a lighting device according to anexample embodiment;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are exploded perspective views schematicallyillustrating a bulb type lamp that may be applied to a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating abar-type lamp, a lighting device to which a semiconductor light emittingdevice according to an example embodiment may be applied;

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a lighting system accordingto an example embodiment; and

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a communications operationbetween a smart engine of a lighting fixture and a mobile device viavisible light wireless communications according to an exampleembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described as follows withreference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a lighting device according to an exampleembodiment.

With reference to FIG. 1, a lighting device 10 according to an exampleembodiment may be installed in an interior space of a building. Thelighting device 10 may include a light source 11, a controller 12, asensor 13, and the like. The sensor 13 may be provided in an internalspace or externally in an environment where the lighting device 10 isinstalled. The sensor 13 may be a humidity sensor, an illuminationsensor, a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, or the like. Thecontroller 12 may control operations of the light source 11 according toenvironmental information collected by the sensor 13.

For example, when the sensor 13 includes an illumination sensor, thecontroller 12 may decrease brightness of the light source 11automatically in a case in which an amount of ambient light sensed bythe illumination sensor is relatively high (e.g., above a predeterminedthreshold). In a different manner, for example, when an amount ofambient light sensed by the illumination sensor is relatively low (e.g.,below a predetermined threshold), the controller 12 may increase thebrightness of the light source 11 automatically. In another exampleembodiment, the controller 12 may decrease the brightness of the lightsource 11 automatically when an amount of ambient light sensed by theillumination sensor is relatively low, in order to save powerconsumption.

In addition, for example, when the sensor 13 includes a motion sensor,the sensor 13 may be installed over a doorway or around a window in aninternal space in which the lighting device 10 is installed, to thussense motion. When an external motion sensor is activated, for example,the controller 12 may issue a warning or the like to a user byflickering the light source 11.

The light source 11 may include a single light emitting element or aplurality of light emitting elements. Light emitting elements includedin the light source 11 may be used for illumination, and may be whitelight emitting elements according to an example embodiment. Theplurality of light emitting elements may be arranged in an array form,and in order to monitor an operation state of the light source 11, anillumination sensor may be further provided in the light source 11. Theplurality of light emitting elements included in the light source 11 maybe mounted on a circuit board or the like. A driving circuit to supplydriving power to the plurality of light emitting elements may beprovided on the circuit board.

The controller 12 may be an apparatus for controlling operations of thelight source 11, and may be implemented by an integrated circuit chip orthe like. The controller 12 may include, for example, one or morecentral processing units (CPUs), a memory, a storage device, interfaces,etc. The controller 12 may be provided for a user in a form of a controlpanel including a switch for on/off switching of the light source 11, adimming dial for controlling brightness of the light source 11, and thelike.

In an example embodiment, the controller 12 may include a communicationsmodule. The communications module included in the controller 12 may be amodule based on various wired/wireless communications protocols, and, asan example, the controller 12 may include various wirelesscommunications modules such as Wi-Fi, wireless local area network(WLAN), radio-frequency identification (RFID), NFC, infraredcommunications, Bluetooth™, and the like. The controller 12 may becommunicatively connected to an external control apparatus through acommunications module.

The external control apparatus may be a separate remote controllerprovided together with the lighting device 10, or a smart device such asa smartphone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, awearable computing device, or the like. The external control apparatusmay be implemented with hardware, software, or a combination of both.The external control apparatus may transmit data for configuration ofthe lighting device 10 to the controller 12. As an example, when thelighting device 10 is initially installed in a specific space,authentication between an external control apparatus and the lightingdevice 10 may be required to perform communication between the lightingdevice 10 and the external control apparatus. The lighting device 10 mayinclude predetermined identification information, and the externalcontrol apparatus may receive the identification information from thecommunications module included in the controller 12 to perform a mutualauthentication operation with the controller 12.

For example, when a plurality of lighting devices 10 are controlled by asingle external control apparatus, the identification information may beuseful for distinguishing between the multiple lighting devices 10. Theexternal control apparatus may collect identification information fromthe respective lighting devices 10 before the plurality of lightingdevices 10 are installed, and may provide installation preparationprocesses such as grouping of the lighting devices 10, setting of achannel, setting of a lighting scheme, operation setting based on anillumination zone, and the like, based on the collected identificationinformation to a user. For example, when a smart device is used as anexternal control apparatus, operations such as collection ofidentification information, an installation preparation process, and thelike may be performed by an application program executing on the smartdevice.

According to an example embodiment, the controller of the lightingdevice 10 may include a near field communication (NFC) tag. The NFC tagmay include a radio frequency (RF) circuit transmitting and receivingdata by electromagnetic induction, and an RF memory connected to the RFcircuit. Identification information for the lighting device 10 may bestored in the RF memory. The NFC tag stored in the controller 12 mayoperate as a target device for the external control apparatus thatincludes an NFC communications module, and may connect to the externalcontrol apparatus in an NFC passive communications mode.

For example, when the external control apparatus activates an NFCfunction therein and then approaches the lighting device 10, theidentification information for the lighting device 10 stored in the NFCtag included in the controller 12 may be read therefrom. Morespecifically, even if the lighting device 10 is in a state in whichpower is not supplied, because the NFC tag included in the controller 12may receive power by an electromagnetic field emitted from the externalcontrol apparatus to thus operate, the external control apparatus maycollect identification information of the lighting device 10 even beforethe lighting device 10 is installed and connected to a power source.Thus, the external control apparatus may collect identificationinformation for the lighting device 10 in advance, for example, beforethe lighting device 10 is installed, and based on the collectedidentification information, may determine the proper configuration forthe lighting device 10 in advance. Thus, more convenient and efficientinstallation of the lighting device 10 may be achieved.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are drawings illustrating near field communication (NFC)between a control device and a lighting device in a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment.

First, with reference to FIG. 2, a lighting system according to anexample embodiment may be employed in a specific interior space. Theinterior space may be, for example, a room in a residence, a conferenceroom in an office building, a classroom in a school, etc. The lightingsystem 20 may be deployed in an exterior space as well. The lightingsystem 20 may be a composite smart lighting network system in whichlighting technology using a light emitting device such as a lightemitting diode (LED) and the like may converge with other technologiessuch as Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology, wireless communicationstechnology, and the like. The lighting system 20 may be implementedusing various lighting devices and wired/wireless communicationsdevices, and may be implemented by a sensor, a controller, acommunications device, software for network control and maintenance, orthe like.

The lighting system 20 may be applied to an open space such as parks,roads, and the like as well as closed spaces defined as the interior ofa building or structure such as homes, offices, and schools. Thelighting system 20 may be implemented based on an IoT environment tocollect and process various pieces of information and provide a userwith the collected and processed information. In this case, alight-emitting diode (LED) lamp 22 included in the lighting system mayreceive information regarding an ambient environment from a gateway 21to control illumination of the LED lamp 22, and may also confirm andcontrol an operating state of other devices 23 to 28 included in the IoTenvironment, and the like, based on a function such as visible lightcommunications of the LED lamp 22, or the like.

The LED lamp 22 may include a plurality of sensors. The plurality ofsensors may collect information regarding an ambient environment of theLED lamp 22, and may also collect information regarding humidity,temperature, intensity of illumination, and the like to monitor aninternal state of the LED lamp 22. A control device installed in the LEDlamp 22 may collect information regarding operations of the LED lamp 22as well as information regarding the humidity, temperature, andillumination of the interior of the LED lamp 22, and may periodicallystore the collected information. In addition, in a case in which anabnormal operation or the like is sensed, the control device may informa mobile device 28 of a user of the abnormal condition of the LED lamp22 through the gateway 21. In this case, the mobile device 28 maycommunicate with the LED lamp 22 through the gateway 21, or may directlycommunicate with the LED lamp 22 without passing through the gateway 21.

In addition, the mobile device 28 may be provided as a control apparatuscontrolling operations of the LED lamp 22, and may store identificationinformation for the LED lamp 22 included in the lighting system 20therein and transmit an operation command to the LED lamp 22, based onthe stored identification information. In order to directly communicatewith the mobile device 28, the LED lamp 22 may include various types ofwired/wireless communications modules.

The lighting system 20 may include a plurality of LED lamps 22. In thiscase, the LED lamps 22 may be differentiated from each other, based onunique identification information thereof. In other words, each of theLED lamps 22 may be provided with a unique identifier. The mobile device28, provided as an apparatus for controlling the LED lamp 22 whiledistinguishing the LED lamps 22 from each other, may collectidentification information from the LED lamps 22. In an exampleembodiment, identification information for the LED lamp 22 may be storedin a memory of an NFC tag included in the LED lamp 22, and an NFCtagging operation may be performed in the LED lamp 22 by the mobiledevice 28 having an NFC communications function, thereby reading theidentification information of the LED lamp 22 therefrom. The NFC tagembedded in the LED lamp 22 may be a target device for the mobile device28. Thus, the mobile device 28 may collect the identificationinformation even before, for example, the LED lamp 22 is installed andthus power is not yet supplied to the LED lamp 22.

The mobile device 28 may be connected to the gateway 21 through anetwork or a cloud or directly connected thereto. The mobile device 28may be communicatively connected through the gateway 21 to an externalserver including installation information of the LED lamp 22. If the LEDlamp 22 is not yet installed, the mobile device 28 may receive theinstallation information of the LED lamp 22 from the external server,and may collect the identification information of the LED lamp 22 basedon the installation information thereof.

The external server may be implemented with a generic server, a desktopcomputer, or the like. The installation information may includeinformation regarding a position or location in which a lighting deviceis to be installed within the space to which the lighting system 20 isto be applied, a control command for controlling operations of alighting device to be installed in a respective position, channelsetting information for assigning communications channels for aplurality of lighting devices, lighting zone setting information forgrouping one or more lighting devices into lighting zones, and the like.The mobile device 28 may download the installation information from theexternal server and display the downloaded installation information on ascreen through an application program.

A user may select any one position among a plurality of positions inwhich lighting devices are to be installed while the installationinformation is displayed on the mobile device 28. Once a position isselected and the mobile device comes within close proximity (e.g., comeswithin a predetermined distance) to the LED lamp 22, the mobile device28 may collect identification information from the LED lamp 22 throughthe NFC, and may match the collected identification information to theselected position. For example, when the identification information ofthe LED lamp 22 is matched to a specific position, the mobile device 28may again transmit to the LED lamp 22 through the NFC a control command,channel setting information, lighting zone setting information, and thelike to be applied to the lighting device installed in the correspondingposition thereof. The transmitted information may be encoded and storedin a memory included in the NFC tag of the LED lamp 22.

With reference to FIG. 2, the lighting system 20 may include the gateway21 processing data transmitted and received according to differentcommunications protocols; the LED lamp 22 communicatively connected tothe gateway 21 and including an LED, a plurality of sensors, and thelike; and a plurality of devices 23 to 28 communicatively connected tothe gateway 21 according to various wireless communications schemes. Thelighting system 20 may be implemented based on an IoT environment, andeach of the devices 23 to 28, as well as the LED lamp 22, may include atleast one communications module. In an example embodiment, the LED lamp22 may be connected to the gateway 21 to be able to communicatetherewith by a wireless communications protocol such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee®,Li-Fi, Bluetooth™, ultra-wideband (UWB), or the like, and to this end,may include at least one communications module 22 a. In addition, asdescribed above, the LED lamp 22 may store unique identificationinformation therein, and may include an NFC tag capable of providing theidentification information to an external control apparatus such as themobile device 28, or the like.

The lighting system 20 may be applied to an open space such as roads orparks as well as a closed space such as homes or offices. For example,when the lighting system 20 is applied to a home, the plurality ofdevices 23 to 28 included in the lighting system 20 and communicativelyconnected to the gateway 21 based on an IoT technology may include homeappliances 23, a digital door lock 24, a garage door opener 25, a lightswitch 26 installed on a wall or the like, a router 27 for a wirelesscommunications network relay, and a mobile device 28 such as asmartphone, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, and the like.

In the lighting system 20, the LED lamp 22 may learn of the operatingstates of various devices 23 to 28 using a wireless communicationsnetwork installed in a home, such as Zigbee®, Wi-Fi, Light Fidelity(Li-Fi), UWB, Bluetooth™, or the like, or may automatically controlillumination intensity of the LED lamp 22 according to an ambientenvironment and conditions determined by the LED lamp 22. In addition,the devices 23 to 28 included in the lighting system 20 may also becontrolled using Li-Fi communications that use visible rays of lightemitted from the LED lamp 22.

First, the LED lamp 22 may automatically control illumination intensitythereof based on ambient environmental information transferred from thegateway 21 through the communications module 22 a or ambientenvironmental information collected by a sensor installed in the LEDlamp 22. For example, the brightness of the LED lamp 22 may beautomatically adjusted according to a type of program broadcast on atelevision set 23 a or the brightness of a screen. To this end, the LEDlamp 22 may receive information regarding operation of the televisionset 23 a from the communications module 22 a connected to the gateway21. The communications module 22 a may be integrated into the samemodule with a sensor and/or a controller included in the LED lamp 22.

For example, when the broadcast TV program is a drama, illumination mayalso have a color temperature of 12000 K or less to be appropriatethereto according to a preset value. More specifically, the colortemperature may be reduced to 5000 K, and a color level may be adjustedto thus provide a comfortable and warm atmosphere. In addition, forexample, when a program value corresponds to a comedy, the lightingsystem 20 may also be configured in such a way that the colortemperature may be increased to 5000 K or higher according to apredetermined illumination intensity value and adjusted to provideblue-tinted white illumination.

In addition, when a predetermined time elapses after the digital doorlock 24 is locked in a state in which no person is in a home, all of theLED lamps 22 that are on may be turned off to, thus reducing powerconsumption. Alternatively, in a case in which a security mode is presetby the mobile device 28 or the like, when the digital door lock 24 islocked in a state in which no person is in a home, the LED lamp 22 maybe periodically turned on for a preset duration of time during the nighttime according to a usage schedule for the purpose of deterring apotential burglary.

An operation of the LED lamp 22 may also be controlled according toambient environmental information collected by various sensors connectedto the lighting system 20. For example, when the lighting system 20 isimplemented in a building, equipment management may be convenientlyperformed, or idle space may be efficiently used by combining a lightingdevice, a position sensor, and a communications module in the buildingto collect people's positional information in the building and switchingthe lighting device on/off or providing the collected information inreal time. In general, because lighting devices such as the LED lamp 22are typically dispersed throughout the interior spaces of respectivefloors in a building, information regarding various activities occurringinside the building may be collected through the sensors integrated withthe LED lamp 22, and the collected information may be used formanagement of facilities and utilization of idle spaces thereto, and thelike.

In a different manner, the LED lamp 22, an image sensor, a storagedevice, the communications module 22 a, and the like may be combinedwith one another to thus be used in an apparatus capable of maintainingthe security of a building or sensing and dealing with emergencies. Forexample, when a smoke or temperature sensor or the like is attached tothe LED lamp 22, damage may be significantly reduced by quickly sensingwhether a fire or the like has occurred. In addition, the brightness ofa lighting device may be controlled in consideration of weather or anamount of sunlight, and the like, thereby providing a comfortableillumination environment while also conserving energy.

Operations of the LED lamp 22 described above by way of example may beset up by an application program executable in the mobile device 28. Auser may collect identification information for the LED lamp 22 from anNFC tag embedded in the LED lamp 22, even before the lighting system 20is installed. Thus, settings data for configuration of the LED lamp 22in advance by the application program may be generated even in a statein which the LED lamp 22 is not installed. The settings data generatedin the application program may be executed in the LED lamp 22, afterpower is supplied to the LED lamp 22 and the LED lamp 22 is thusconnected directly to the mobile device 28 or connected to the mobiledevice 28 through the gateway 21 to be able to communicate therewith. Inother words, the settings data may be transmitted to the LED lamp 22 andstored in the LED lamp 22 even before the LED lamp 22 is installed andconnected to a power source. The LED lamp 22 may operate according tothe settings data received from the mobile device 28, and the settingsdata may then be updated as needed.

As described above, the lighting system 20 may be applied to an openspace such as roads (e.g., street lamps) or parks as well as a closedspace such as homes, offices, buildings, and the like. In a case inwhich the lighting system 20 is applied to an open space withoutphysical limitations, it may be relatively difficult to implement thelighting system 20 due to a distance limitation of wirelesscommunications, a communication interference caused by variousobstacles, and the like. Thus, in the case in which the lighting system20 is applied to an open space, a sensor, a communications module, andthe like may be installed inside respective lighting fixtures, and therespective lighting fixtures may be used as an information collectingdevice and a communications relay device.

FIG. 3 illustrates a control device 100 and a lighting device 200, whichmay be employed in a lighting system according to an example embodiment.With reference to FIG. 3, the lighting device 200 according to anexample embodiment may be a flat lighting apparatus, and the controldevice 100 may be a smart device on which an application program may beinstalled and executed. However, the control device 100 and the lightingdevice 200 are not limited to the illustrations of FIG. 3.

The control device 100 may be one of various smart devices such as asmartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet PC, a laptopcomputer, and the like. For example, when the control device 100 is asmartphone, the control device 100 may include a display unit 110, ahousing 120, a key input unit 130, and the like. Various applicationprograms may be installed and executed in the control device 100. In theapplication programs executed in the control device 100, an applicationprogram capable of reading identification information of the lightingdevice 200 and generating settings data for controlling the lightingdevice 200 may be further included.

The lighting device 200 may include a light source 210, a drivingcircuit 220, a housing 230, and a controller 240. According to anexemplary embodiment, the light source 210 may include a light emittingelement array as a light source, and the driving circuit 220 may supplydriving power to the light source 210. In an example embodiment, thedriving circuit 220 may include a rectifying circuit that converts analternating current into a direct current (DC), a DC-DC convertercircuit that increases or reduces the output voltage from the rectifyingcircuit to thus supply the driving power to the light source 210, andthe like.

The light source 210 may include a light emitting element array, and maybe formed to have a substantially flattened shape. The light source 210and the driving circuit 220 may be accommodated in the housing 230, andthe light source 210 may be disposed to emit light in a direction inwhich the housing 230 is open.

The controller 240 may be provided in a form of an integrated circuitchip, and may control operations of the driving circuit 220. In anexample embodiment, when the driving circuit 220 includes a DC-DCconverter circuit generating driving power, the controller 240 maycontrol a duty ratio, an operating frequency, and the like of aswitching device included in the DC-DC converter circuit to thus controlbrightness of the light source 210. In addition, the controller 240 mayinclude a communications module communicating with the control device100, and more specifically, may include an NFC tag in which uniqueidentification information, provided to distinguish the lighting devices200 from each other, is stored.

The NFC tag included in the controller 240 may be operated in a passivemode to communicate with the control device 100. For example, when anNFC communications function in the control device 100 is activated, theNFC tag included in the controller 240 may be operated using powerinduced by an electromagnetic field transferred from the control device100. Thus, even in a state in which the lighting device 200 is notinstalled or the lighting device 200 does not receive power, the controldevice 100 may collect identification information of the lighting device200, and the lighting device 200 may store data received from thecontrol device 100 therein.

The control device 100 may generate settings data for configuring thelighting device 200, based on the identification information collectedfrom the lighting device 200 even before the lighting device 200 isphysically installed and/or set up for operation. The settings data maybe transmitted to the lighting device 200 through the NFCcommunications, to be stored therein. Thus, before the lighting device200 is installed to operate, since registration and setting of arespective lighting device 200 may be performed, the amount of timerequired for installation of the lighting device 200 may be reduced.

For example, in the case that the control device 100 attempts to collectidentification information of the lighting device 200 through the NFCcommunications, only the control device 100 having passed apredetermined authentication process may receive the identificationinformation. When the control device 100 requests identificationinformation for the NFC tag embedded in the controller 240 through anNFC tagging operation, the NFC tag may determine whether to transmit theidentification information to the control device 100 after thepredetermined authentication process for the control device 100.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic block diagrams of a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment.

With reference to FIG. 4, a lighting system 30 according to an exampleembodiment may include a plurality of lighting devices 310, 320, and330, and at least one control device 340. One of ordinary skill in theart, whoever, will understand that more lighting devices and controldevices may be included in the lighting system 30 than what is shown inFIG. 4. The plurality of lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 may includelight sources 311, 321, and 331, driving circuits 312, 322, and 332,controllers 313, 323, and 333, and sensors 314, 324, and 334,respectively. The control device 340 may be connected to the controllers313, 323, and 333 to communicate therewith through variouswired/wireless communications, to transmit various control commands andsetting commands, and the like to the lighting devices 310, 320, and330.

Specifically, the control device 340 may read identification informationof the respective lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 from thecontrollers 313, 323, and 333 thereof through the NFC communications.The lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 may respectively have uniqueidentification information thereof, and the control device 340 may readthe identification information from the controllers 313, 323, and 333through the NFC communications. Because the identification informationis read by the NFC communications, the identification information forthe respective lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 may be collected evenbefore the lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 are installed and receivepower.

In general, in a case in which the lighting system is implemented in aspecific space, identification information may be collected from therespective lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 in a state in which thelighting devices 310, 320, and 330 have been installed and power hasbeen supplied thereto. In this case, the identification information forthe respective lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 may not be collecteduntil power is supplied to the lighting devices 310, 320, and 330. Thus,after the lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 are completely installed,settings data including settings parameters required for operations ofthe respective lighting devices 310, 320, and 330 may be generated.Thus, in a case in which a change in an installation plan of thelighting devices 310, 320, and 330 is required during a process ofgenerating the settings data, because the lighting devices 310, 320, and330 already installed may require rearrangement, the installation maytake longer.

According to an example embodiment, the control device 340 may collectidentification information for the respective lighting devices 310, 320,and 330 through the NFC communications, even before the lighting devices310, 320, and 330 are installed. Thus, settings data for controlling thelighting system 30 may be generated before the lighting devices 310,320, and 330 are installed, and the disposition of the lighting devices310, 320, and 330 may be freely changed according to the settings data.Thus, the time required for installation of the lighting system 30 maybe reduced.

The settings data generated by the control device 340 may includegrouping information for dividing the plurality of lighting devices 310,320, and 330 into a plurality of groups, lighting scheme informationimplemented by the lighting devices 310, 320, and 330, lighting zonecontrol information for controlling lighting devices disposed indifferent spaces, and the like. Thus, a plan for installation of thelighting devices 310, 320, and 330 may be altered from the original planused in the process of generating the settings data and simulating thelighting system 30. In an exemplary embodiment, because the settingsdata is generated before the installation of the lighting devices 310,320, and 330 and is stored in the lighting devices 310, 320, and 330,even in a case in which the plan for installation of the lightingdevices 310, 320, and 330 is changed, the inconvenience of rearranginglighting devices 310, 320, and 330 already installed may be prevented.

Next, NFC between a controller 410 of a lighting device and a controldevice 420 will be described referring to a lighting system 40illustrated in FIG. 5. With reference to FIG. 5, the controller 410 ofthe lighting device may include an NFC tag 411, a main memory 414, aprocessor 415, and a communications unit 416. The NFC tag 411 mayinclude an RF circuit 412 providing and receiving data to and from anNFC communications module provided in the control device 420 by aninduced electromagnetic field. The NFC tag 411 may also include an RFmemory 413. The RF memory 413 may store information for the lightingdevice.

When the control device 420 and the controller 410 come into closeproximity to each other in a state in which the NFC function of thecontrol device 420 has been activated, the control device 420 may readthe identification information of the lighting device stored in the RFmemory 413 therefrom via NFC communications. In this case, the NFC tag411 may authenticate the control device 420 through a predeterminedauthentication process, and may then transmit the identificationinformation of the lighting device to the control device 420.

The control device 420 may generate settings data required to controlthe lighting device, based on the identification information, and thesettings data may be transmitted to the NFC tag 411 through the NFCcommunications and be stored in the RF memory 413. According to anexample embodiment, after power is supplied to the controller 410, thesettings data may be stored in the main memory 414, and subsequently,the processor 415 may encode the received settings data and store theencoded settings data in the main memory 414. When the lighting devicestarts to operate, the processor 415 may perform such operations asgrouping of the lighting device with other lighting devices based on thesettings data stored in the main memory 414, implementing a specificlighting scheme in the lighting device, and the like.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a lightingdevice according to an example embodiment. Hereinafter, a method ofcontrolling a lighting device according to an example embodiment will bedescribed with reference to the control device 100 and the lightingdevice 200 illustrated in FIG. 3.

First, with reference to FIG. 6, the method of controlling a lightingdevice according to an example embodiment may be performed by startingto read identification information from an NFC tag of the lightingdevice 200 in S100. The NFC tag may include an RF circuit and an RFmemory, and the identification information may be encoded and stored inthe RF memory. The NFC tag may be included in the controller 240 of thelighting device 200.

When the identification information is read, the control device 100 maymatch the identification information to installation information inS101. The installation information may be information downloaded from anexternal server or the like to be stored before the control device 100collects identification information, and may include layout map (e.g.,drawings, schematics, etc.) containing information regarding respectivepositions at which a plurality of lighting devices 200 are to beinstalled, and the like. For example, assuming that the space in whichthe plurality of lighting devices 200 are to be installed is dividedinto 10 subspaces or areas and each of the lighting devices 200 isinstalled in one of the subspaces, the control device 100 may use thelayout map, detailing the placement of the 10 subspaces in which thelighting device 200 is to be installed, and the like, as installationinformation.

The control device 100 may display the layout map on a display screen. Auser may select one of the exemplary 10 subspaces represented in thelayout map while the NFC communications function of the control device100 is activated, and may then bring the control device 100 in proximityto a specific lighting device 200. The control device 100 may collectidentification information from the lighting device hitherto broughtinto proximity with the control device 100, and the collectedidentification information may then be mapped or assigned to thesubspace selected by the user. By repeating these operations, the usermay map the identification information for the respective lightingdevices 200 to one of the subspaces as part of the installationinformation before the lighting devices 200 are installed.

When the identification information of the lighting device 200 is mappedor matched to the installation information, the control device 100 maygenerate settings data in S102. The settings data may include groupinginformation for dividing the lighting devices into a plurality ofgroups, lighting scheme control information, lighting zone controlinformation, and the like. A user may generate settings data using apredetermined application program provided by the control device 100.

The settings data generated in S102 may include information forcontrolling driving power output by the driving circuit 220 of thelighting device. Specifically, the controller 230 may control the outputfrom the driving circuit 220 based on the settings data, from whichbrightness, color, a fade time, and the like of a light source 210 maybe determined. The settings data may be transmitted from the controldevice 100 to the lighting device 200 through the NFC communications inS103. In particular, the settings data may be transferred from thecontrol device 100 to the lighting device 200 through the NFCcommunications before the lighting device 200 is installed foroperation.

FIG. 7A is a sequence diagram of an operation of a lighting systemaccording to an example embodiment. With reference to FIG. 7A, anoperation of a lighting system according to an example embodiment may beperformed by interactions among an external server 510, a control device520, and a lighting device 530.

First, the control device 520 may request installation information forthe lighting device 530 from the external server 510 in S201. Theexternal server 510 may be a server managed by a company to provide alighting system, or the like, and the installation information requestedin S201 may include a layout map or schematic illustrating a physicallayout of a lighting device in a space in which a lighting system is tobe installed, and the like. The external server 510 may transmitinstallation information for the lighting device to the control device520 in response to the request, in S202.

The control device 520 may request an NFC connection from a controllerof the lighting device 530 in S203. After the NFC communications moduleincluded in the control device 520 is activated, when the control device520 and the controller of the lighting device 530 come into proximity toeach other (e.g., within a threshold distance from each other), an NFCtag included in the controller of the lighting device 530 may beactivated to receive the NFC connection request by the control device520. The NFC tag may determine whether the control device 520 isauthenticated using a predetermined encryption key, an authenticationkey, and the like stored in advance, in S204, and may recognize asuccessful authentication and establishment of the NFC connection withthe control device 520 in S205.

When the NFC connection is recognized, the control device 520 may readidentification information for the lighting device from the NFC tagembedded in the lighting device 530. When the control device 520requests the identification information for the lighting device in S206,the NFC tag may transfer the identification information encoded andstored in the RF memory to the control device 520 in S207. Thus,compared to a case in which a bar code attached to the lighting deviceis read therefrom, or the identification information is read therefromthrough Bluetooth™ communications with the lighting device, or the like,the identification information may be read therefrom in an encodedmanner, thereby improving the security of the lighting system.

The control device 520 having received the identification informationmay match the identification information to installation information, tothus generate settings data, in S208. The settings data may includegrouping information for respective lighting devices, lighting schemecontrol information thereof, and the like. The generated settings datamay be transmitted to the external server 510, and the external server510 may update the installation information, based on the settings datain S209.

A plan for installation of the lighting device may be included in theinstallation information transmitted to the control device 520 by theexternal server 510, and the identification information for respectivelighting devices included in the lighting system may or may not beincluded therein. The control device 520 may map the identificationinformation collected from the respective lighting device through theNFC communications to the lighting device corresponding to theinstallation information, to thus generate settings data, and maytransmit the result thereof to the external server 510.

In addition, the control device 520 may transmit the settings datagenerated through the NFC communications in S208 to the lighting device530 in S210. The lighting device 530 may receive the settings data andsend an acknowledgement (ACK) signal to the control device 520 in S211.The settings data may be used to control operations of the lightingdevice.

FIG. 7B is a drawing illustrating an operation of a lighting systemsimilar to the operation shown in FIG. 7A. With reference to FIG. 7B, alighting system 50 according to an example embodiment may include anexternal server 510 storing installation information 515 therein andmanaging the stored information. The lighting system 50 may also includea control device 520 connected to the external server 510 to communicatetherewith, and a lighting device 530. The lighting device 530 may be aplurality of lighting devices. Even before the lighting device 530 isinstalled and receives power, the control device 520 may collect datafrom the lighting device 530 through NFC communications or transmit datato the lighting device 530.

The external server 510 may store the installation information 515therein and manage the stored information. The external server 510 maybe configured to include a display device 511 and a server chassis 512.The installation information 515 may include information regarding themap or schematics of the abstract or physical spaces in which aplurality of lighting devices are to be installed. In the exampleembodiment shown in FIG. 7B, a total of 19 lighting devices 530(represented by letters A through T) may be installed and spread acrossa total of 15 subspaces (i.e., areas or zones). Moreover, two or morelighting devices 530, corresponding to letters A through T in theinstallation information 515, may be installed in a single subspace(e.g., subspaces 9, 11, 13, and 14).

A user may download the installation information 515 into the controldevice 520 connected to the external server 510. The control device 520may display the downloaded installation information 525. Theinstallation information 525 displayed by the control device 520 may bea further simplified representation of the layout of the lightingdevices 530 as compared to the installation information 515 stored inthe external server 510. A user may select one of a plurality ofpositions A through T or subspaces 1 through 15 in which the lightingdevices 530 are to be installed, from the installation information 525displayed by the control device 520.

For example, it may be assumed that a user selects an installationposition corresponding to letter B among the installation positions Athrough T. Alternatively, the user may select one of the subspaces 1through 15. When the control device 520 approaches the lighting device530 (e.g., comes within a threshold distance from the lighting device530), the control device 520 may collect identification information fromthe lighting device 530 through the NFC communications and then map thecollected identification information to the installation positioncorresponding to letter B. By repeating this process, the user may mapthe identification information for the respective lighting device 530 toinstallation information (i.e., installation positions or subspaces)even before the lighting device 530 is installed.

On the other hand, the settings data to be transmitted to the lightingdevices 530 that will be installed in the respective installationpositions A through T may be included in the installation informationreceived by the control device 520 from the external server 510. Forexample, the settings data may include grouping information for groupingthe installation positions A through T into a plurality of groups,communications channel settings information, lighting zone settingsinformation, and the like. When the lighting device 530 is mapped to theinstallation position B, the control device 520 may transmit settingsdata corresponding to the installation position B to the lighting device530 by the NFC communications. Thus, before the lighting device 530 isinstalled, operations such as collecting identification information forthe respective lighting device 530 and transmitting settings data may beperformed in advance.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic illustrations of white light sourcemodules that may be applied to a lighting device according to an exampleembodiment. The white light source modules illustrated in FIGS. 8A and8B may respectively include a plurality of light emitting devicepackages mounted on a circuit board. The plurality of light emittingdevice packages mounted on a single white light source module may beconfigured to be of the same type of light emitting device packagesgenerating light having the same wavelength, or may also be configuredto be of heterogeneous light emitting device packages generating lighthaving different wavelengths.

With reference to FIG. 8A, a white light source module may be configuredby combining white light emitting device packages “40” and “30” havingcolor temperatures of 4000 K and 3000 K, respectively, and red lightemitting device packages “Red.” The white light source module mayprovide white light having a color temperature adjustable within a rangeof 3100 K to 4000 K and having a color rendering index Ra within a rangeof 95 to 100.

In another example embodiment, a white light source module may beconfigured to only consist of white light emitting device packages. Inthis case, a portion of the white light emitting device packages mayhave white light having a different color temperature. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 8B, the white light, of which a color temperaturemay be adjusted to be within a range of 2200 K to 5000 K and of which acolor rendering index Ra is within a range of 85 to 99, may be providedby combining a white light emitting device package “27” having a colortemperature of 2200 K and a white light emitting device package “50”having a color temperature of 5000 K. Here, the number of light emittingdevice packages having respective color temperatures may be changeddepending on a preset value of a baseline color temperature. Forexample, when a lighting device has around 4000 K of a preset baselinevalue of color temperature, the number of packages thereof correspondingto 4000 K may be more than the number of packages corresponding to 3000K of color temperature or the number of red light emitting devicepackages.

As such, the heterogeneous light emitting device packages may beconfigured to include a light emitting device provided by combining ayellow, green, red, or orange phosphor with a blue light emitting deviceto emit white light and at least one of violet, blue, green, red, orinfrared light emitting devices, to thus adjust a color temperature anda color rendering index (CRI) of white light. Such a white light sourcemodule as described above may be used as a light source in various typesof lighting devices.

In a single light emitting device package, light having a required colormay be determined depending on a wavelength of light from a lightemitting diode (LED) chip, a light emitting device, and a phosphor typeand a combination ratio of phosphors. In this case, when the light iswhite light, a color temperature and a color rendering index thereof maybe controlled.

For example, when the LED chip emits blue light, a light emitting devicepackage including at least one of yellow, green, and red phosphors mayemit white light having various color temperatures according to aphosphor combination ratio. In another example, a light emitting devicepackage, in which a green or red phosphor is applied to a blue LED chip,may emit green or red light. As such, by combining the light emittingdevice package emitting white light and the light emitting devicepackage emitting green or red light, a color temperature and a colorrendering index of white light may be controlled. In addition, a lightemitting device package may also be configured to include at least oneof light emitting devices emitting violet light, blue light, greenlight, red light, and infrared light.

In this case, in the lighting device, CRI may be adjusted from a levelof a sodium-vapor lamp to a level of sunlight, and various types ofwhite light having a color temperature of around 1500 K to around 20000K may be generated. In addition, a lighting color may be adjusted to beappropriate for an ambient atmosphere or for the viewer's mood bygenerating violet, blue, green, red, or orange visible light or infraredlight as needed. Further, the lighting device may also emit light withina special wavelength band, for example, capable of promoting plantgrowth.

FIG. 9 is a CIE 1931 color space chromaticity diagram illustratingoperations of the white light source modules illustrated in FIGS. 8A and8B. White light obtained by combining yellow, green, red phosphorsand/or green and red light emitting devices with a blue light emittingdevice may have two or more peak wavelengths. The coordinates (x, y) ofthe peak wavelengths in the CIE 1931 color space chromaticity diagram,as illustrated in FIG. 9, may be located on line segments (0.4476,0.4074), (0.3484, 0.3516), (0.3101, 0.3162), (0.3128, 0.3292), and(0.3333, 0.3333) connected to one another. Alternatively, thecoordinates (x, y) may be located in a region surrounded by the linesegments and a blackbody radiation spectrum. A color temperature ofwhite light may be within a range of 1500 K to 20000 K. In FIG. 9, whitelight in the vicinity of point E (0.3333, 0.3333) below the blackbodyradiation spectrum may be in a state in which light of a yellow-basedcomponent becomes relatively weak. This white light may be used as anillumination light source of a region in which a relatively bright orrefreshing mood may be induced in a person when absorbed through a nakedeye. Thus, a lighting device product using white light in the vicinityof point E (0.3333, 0.3333) below the blackbody radiation spectrum maybe effective for use in retail spaces in which groceries, clothing, orthe like are displayed and sold.

FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating a wavelength conversion material thatmay be applied to a light source of a lighting device according to anexample embodiment.

The wavelength conversion material may be a material for converting awavelength of light emitted from a light emitting device. The wavelengthconversion material may be a phosphor and/or a quantum dot.

In an example embodiment, phosphors applied to the wavelength conversionmaterial may be represented by the following empirical formula andcorresponding colors, as shown below.

Oxide-based Phosphor: Yellow and green Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Ce, Tb₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce,Lu₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce

Silicate-based Phosphor: Yellow and green (Ba,Sr)₂SiO₄:Eu, yellow andyellowish-orange (Ba,Sr)₃SiO₅:Ce

Nitride-based Phosphor: Green β-SiAlON:Eu, yellow La₃Si₆N₁₁:Ce,yellowish-orange α-SiAlON:Eu, red CaAlSiN₃:Eu, Sr₂Si₅N₈:Eu,SrSiAl₄N₇:Eu, SrLiAl₃N₄:Eu,Ln_(4−x)(Eu_(z)M_(1−z))_(x)Si_(12−y)Al_(y)O_(3+x+y)N_(18−x−y) (0.5≦x≦3,0<z<0.3, 0<y≦4) (Formula 1) (In Formula 1, Ln may be at least oneelement selected from a group consisting of group IIIa elements andrare-earth elements, and M may be at least one element selected from agroup consisting of calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), strontium (Sr), andmagnesium (Mg).)

Fluoride-based Phosphor: KSF-based red K₂SiF₆:Mn₄ ⁺, K₂TiF₆:Mn₄ ⁺,NaYF₄:Mn₄ ⁺, NaGdF₄:Mn₄ ⁺ (e.g., a composition ratio of Mn may beprovided by 0<z≦0.17)

A phosphor composition should conform to stoichiometry, and respectiveelements may be substituted with other elements in a group of theperiodic table of elements in which an element corresponding thereto isincluded. For example, Sr may be substituted with Ba, Ca, Mg, or thelike, of an alkaline earth group II, and Yttrium (Y) may be substitutedwith lanthanum-based terbium (Tb), lutetium (Lu), scandium (Sc),gadolinium (Gd), or the like. In addition, Europium (Eu) or the like, anactivator, may be substituted with cerium (Ce), Tb, praseodymium (Pr),erbium (Er), ytterbium (Yb), or the like, according to a required energylevel. In addition, an activator may be used alone, or a sub-activatoror the like, for modification of characteristics thereof, mayadditionally be used.

In particular, in the case of a fluoride-based red phosphor, in order toimprove reliability thereof at a relatively high temperature/highhumidity, a phosphor may be coated with a fluoride not containingmanganese (Mn), or a phosphor surface or a fluoride-coated surface ofphosphor coated with a fluoride not containing Mn may further be coatedwith an organic material. In the case of the fluoride-based red phosphoras described above, a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 40 nm or lessmay be obtained in a manner different from the case of other phosphors,and thus, the fluoride-based red phosphor may be used in high-resolutionTV sets such as ultra high-definition (UHD) TVs.

The following Table 1 illustrates phosphor types in light emittingdevice packages using a blue LED chip having a dominant wavelength in arange of 440 nm to 460 nm, or a ultraviolet (UV) LED chip having adominant wavelength in a range of 380 nm to 440 nm, which may be appliedto respective application fields.

TABLE 1 Use Phosphor LED TV β-SiAlON: Eu²⁺, (Ca, Sr) AlSiN₃: Eu²⁺,La₃Si₆N₁₁: Ce³⁺, K₂SiF₆: Mn⁴⁺, SrLiAl₃N₄: Eu, Ln_(4-x) (Eu_(z)M_(1-z))_(x)Si_(12-y)Al_(y)O_(3+x+y)N_(18-x-y) (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 3, 0 < z < 0.3, 0 < y≤ 4), K₂TiF₆: Mn⁴⁺, NaYF₄: Mn⁴⁺, NaGdF₄: Mn⁴⁺, K₃SiF₇: Mn⁴⁺ LightingLu₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce³⁺, Ca-α-SiAlON: Eu²⁺, La₃Si₆N₁₁: Ce³⁺, (Ca, Sr) AlSiN₃:Eu²⁺, Y₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce³⁺, K₂SiF₆: Mn⁴⁺, SrLiAl₃N₄: Eu, Ln_(4-x)(Eu_(z)M_(1-z)) _(x)Si_(12-y)Al_(y)O_(3+x+y)N_(18-x-y) (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 3, 0 <z < 0.3, 0 < y ≤ 4) , K₂TiF₆: Mn⁴⁺, NaYF₄: Mn⁴⁺, NaGdF₄: Mn⁴⁺, K₃SiF₇:Mn⁴⁺ Side View Lu₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce³⁺, Ca-α-SiAlON: Eu²⁺, (Mobile La₃Si₆N₁₁:Ce³⁺, (Ca, Sr) AlSiN₃: Eu²⁺, Device, Y₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce³⁺, (Sr, Ba, Ca, Mg)₂SiO₄: Eu²⁺, Notebook PC) K₂SiF₆: Mn⁴⁺, SrLiAl₃N₄: Eu, Ln_(4-x)(Eu_(z)M_(1-z)) _(x)Si_(12-y)Al_(y)O_(3+x+y)N_(18-x-y) (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 3, 0 <z < 0.3, 0 < y ≤ 4), K₂TiF₆: Mn⁴⁺, NaYF₄: Mn⁴⁺, NaGdF₄: Mn⁴⁺, K₃SiF₇:Mn⁴⁺ Electronic Lu₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce³⁺, Ca-α-SiAlON: Eu²⁺, device La₃Si₆N₁₁:Ce³⁺, (Ca, Sr) AlSiN₃: Eu²⁺, (Head Lamp, Y₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce³⁺, K₂SiF₆: Mn⁴⁺,SrLiAl₃N₄: Eu, Ln_(4-x) etc.) (Eu_(z)M_(1-z))_(x)Si_(12-y)Al_(y)O_(3+x+y)N_(18-x-y) (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 3, 0 < z < 0.3, 0 < y≤ 4), K₂TiF₆: Mn⁴⁺, NaYF₄: Mn⁴⁺, NaGdF₄: Mn⁴⁺, K₃SiF₇: Mn⁴⁺

On the other hand, the wavelength conversion material may include aquantum dot (QD) provided as a phosphor substitute or mixed with aphosphor.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional structure of a quantum dot. Thequantum dot (QD) may have a core-shell structure using a III-V or II-VIcompound semiconductor. For example, the quantum dot may have a coresuch as a structure of CdSe, InP, or the like, and a shell such as astructure of ZnS, ZnSe, or the like. Further, the QD may have a ligandfor stabilization of the core and the shell. For example, the core mayhave a diameter in a range of 1 nm to 30 nm, and especially in the rageof 3 nm to 10 nm. The shell may have a thickness in a range of 0.1 nm to20 nm, and especially in the rage of 0.5 nm to 2 nm.

The quantum dot may implement various colors depending on the sizethereof. In particular, in a case in which the quantum dot is used as aphosphor substitute, the quantum dot may be used as a red or greenphosphor. When the quantum dot is used, a narrow FWHM (e.g., 35 nm) maybe achieved.

For example, the wavelength conversion material may be provided ascontained in an encapsulation material or in a scheme in which theconversion material is first manufactured as a film and then attached toa surface of an optical device such as an LED chip or a light guideplate. In the case of using a wavelength conversion material that isfirst manufactured as a film, the wavelength conversion material havinga uniform thickness may be obtained more easily.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating abulb type lamp as a lighting device according to an exemplaryembodiment.

In particular, a lighting device 1000 may include a socket 1010, a powersource unit 1020, a heat dissipation unit 1030, a light source module1040, and an optical unit 1050. According to an exemplary embodiment,the light source module 1040 may include a light emitting device array,and the power source unit 1020 may include a light emitting devicedriving unit.

The socket 1010 may be configured to be compatible with conventionallighting device receptacles and thus to substitute a conventionallighting device. Power supplied to the lighting device 1000 may beapplied through the socket 1010. As illustrated, the power source unit1020 may include a first power source unit 1021 and a second powersource unit 1022. The first power source unit 1021 and the second powersource unit 1022 may be assembled to form the power source unit 1020.The heat dissipation unit 1030 may include an internal heat dissipationunit 1031 and an external heat dissipation unit 1032. The internal heatdissipation unit 1031 may be directly connected to the light sourcemodule 1040 and/or the power source unit 1020 to transmit heat to theexternal heat dissipation unit 1032. The optical unit 1050 may includean internal optical unit and an external optical unit, and may be one ormore lenses configured to evenly distribute light emitted from the lightsource module 1040.

The light source module 1040 may emit light through the optical unit1050 upon receiving power from the power source unit 1020. The lightsource module 1040 may include one or more light emitting devices 1041,a circuit board 1042, and a controller 1043. The controller 1043 maystore driving information of the light emitting devices 1041.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating abulb type lamp, a lighting device that may be applied to a lightingsystem according to an example embodiment.

With reference to FIG. 12, a lighting device 1100 may include a lightbulb base (i.e., socket) 1110, a driving circuit 1120, a heat sink(i.e., heat dissipation unit) 1130, a light source 1140, and an opticalunit 1150. According to an exemplary embodiment, the light source 1140may include a light emitting device array, and the driving circuit 1120may include a rectifying circuit, a DC-DC converter or an alternatingcurrent (AC) direct-coupled driving circuit, and the like. A reflectiveplate 1150 may be provided above the light source 1140. The reflectiveplate 1150 may allow for uniform spreading of light from the lightsource 1140 sideways and backwards so as to reduce a glare effect oflight.

The light bulb base 1110 may be configured such that the lighting device1100 may substitute a conventional lighting apparatus. Power supplied tothe lighting device 1100 may be applied through the light bulb base 1110thereto. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the driving circuit 1120 may includea first circuit unit 1121 and a second circuit unit 1122 that areseparated from or coupled to each other. The heat sink 1130 may includean internal heat sink portion 1131 and an external heat sink portion1132. The internal heat sink portion 1131 may be directly connected tothe light source 1140 and/or the driving circuit 1120, by which heat maybe transferred to the external heat sink portion 1132. The optical unit1170 may include an internal optical portion and an external opticalportion, and may be configured in such a manner that light emitted fromthe light source 1140 may be uniformly dispersed.

The light source 1140 may receive power from the driving circuit 1120and emit light towards the optical unit 1150. The light source 1140 mayinclude one or more light emitting devices 1141, a circuit board 1142,and a controller 1143, and the controller 1143 may store drivinginformation for the light emitting devices 1141 therein.

The controller 1143 may include an NFC tag for NFC communications, andmay control operations of the driving circuit 1120. Identificationinformation for the lighting device 1100 may be stored in the NFC tag ofthe controller 1143, and for example, when an NFC module of a controldevice in proximity to the lighting device 1100 is activated, theidentification information for the lighting device 1100 may betransmitted to the control device.

The communications module 1160 may be mounted on an upper portion of thereflective plate 1150, and home network communications may beimplemented through the communications module 1160. For example, thecommunications module 1160 may be a wireless communications module usingZigbee®, Wi-Fi, or Li-Fi, and may control illumination of a lightingdevice installed indoors or outdoors, such as switching on/off,adjustment of brightness, or the like, through a smartphone or otherwireless controller. In addition, electronic products in the home oroutdoors and automobile systems, such as TV sets, refrigerators, airconditioners, door locks, automobiles, or the like, may be controlledusing a Li-Fi communications module that uses a visible light wavelengthof a lighting device installed indoors or outdoors.

The reflective plate 1150 and the communications module 1160 may becovered by the optical unit 1170. The communications module 1160 mayalso be implemented as a single integrated circuit that includes thecontroller 1143. In addition, the controller 1143 may be provided as aseparate module from the light source 1140.

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating abar-type lamp, a lighting device to which a semiconductor light emittingdevice according to an example embodiment may be applied.

In particular, a lighting device 2000 may include a heat radiatingmember 2100, a cover 2200, a light source module 2300, a first socket2400, and a second socket 2500. A plurality of heat radiating fins 2110and 2120 having a concave-convex form (i.e., ridges and grooves) may beformed on an inner surface and/or an external surface of the heatradiating member 2100 (also referred to as a heat dissipating unit or aheat sink), and the heat radiating fins 2110 and 2120 may be designed tohave various forms and intervals therebetween. A support portion 2130having a protrusion form may be formed on an inner side of the heat sinkmember 2100. The light source module 2300 may be affixed to the supportportion 2130. A stop protrusion 2140 may be formed on two ends of theheat sink member 2100.

A stop groove 2210 may be formed on the cover 2200. The stop groove 2210may be coupled to the stop protrusion 2140 of the heat sink member 2100in a hook coupling structure. Positions in which the stop groove 2210and the stop protrusion 2140 are formed may also be inversely changed.

The light source module 2300 may include a light emitting device array.The light source module 2300 may include a printed circuit board 2310,one or more light sources 2320, and a controller 2330. As describedabove, the controller 2330 may store driving information for the lightsource 2320 therein. Circuit wires for operating the light source 2320may be disposed in the printed circuit board 2310. In addition, theprinted circuit board 2310 may also include constituent elements foroperating the light source 2320. The controller 2330 may include an NFCtag storing therein identification information corresponding to thelighting device 2000.

The first and second sockets 2400 and 2500 may be provided as a pair ofsockets, and may have a structure in which they are coupled to two endsof a cylindrical cover unit configured of the heat sink member 2100 andthe cover 2200. For example, the first socket 2400 may include electrodeterminals 2410 and a power supply device 2420, and the second socket2500 may include dummy terminals 2510 disposed thereon. In addition, anoptical sensor and/or a communications module may be disposed inside oneof the first socket 2400 or the second socket 2500. For example, theoptical sensor and/or the communications module may be installed withinthe second socket 2500 in which the dummy terminals 2510 are disposed.In another example, an optical sensor and/or a communications module mayalso be installed within the first socket 2400 in which the electrodeterminals 2410 are disposed.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a lighting system accordingto an example embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a lighting system accordingto an example embodiment of a network system 3000 applied to an openspace. With reference to FIG. 14, a network system 3000 may include acommunications connection device 3100, a plurality of lighting fixtures3200 and 3300 installed with a predetermined distance therebetween andconnected to the communications connection device 3100 to communicatetherewith, a server 3400, a computer 3500 to manage the server 3400, acommunications base station 3600, a communications network 3700connecting communications devices to each other, a mobile device 3800,and the like.

The plurality of lighting fixtures 3200 and 3300 installed in openexternal spaces such as roads or parks may include smart engines 3210and 3310, respectively. The smart engines 3210 and 3310 may respectivelyinclude a light emitting device emitting light, a driver driving thelight emitting device, a sensor collecting information regarding anambient environment, a communications module, and the like. The smartengines 3210 and 3310 may communicate with other ambient devicesaccording to a communications protocol such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee®, Li-Fi, orthe like.

In an example embodiment, a single smart engine 3210 may be connected toanother smart engine 3310 to facilitate communication therewith. In thisexample, a Wi-Fi mesh may be applied to communications between the smartengines 3210 and 3310. At least one smart engine 3210 may be connectedto the communications connection device 3100 that is connected to thecommunications network 3700, via wired/wireless communication methods.In order to increase communication efficiency, a plurality of smartengines 3210 and 3310 may be provided as one group to thus be connectedto a single communications connection device 3100.

The communications connection device 3100 may be an access point (AP)through which wired/wireless communications may be carried out, and mayrelay communications between the communications network 3700 and otherdevices. Alternatively, the communications network 3700 may be a switch,a router, a gateway, a relay, etc. The communications connection device3100 may be connected to the communications network 3700 via at leastone of wired and wireless schemes, and in an example embodiment, may beintegrated inside one of the lighting fixtures 3200 and 3300.

The communications connection device 3100 may be connected to the mobiledevice 3800 via a communications protocol such as Wi-Fi or the like. Auser of the mobile device 3800 may receive ambient environmentalinformation collected by the plurality of smart engines 3210 and 3310via the communications connection device 3100 connected to the smartengine 3210 of the lighting fixture 3200 when the mobile device 3800comes in proximity to the lighting fixture 3200. The ambientenvironmental information may include surrounding traffic information,weather information, and the like. The mobile device 3800 may also beconnected to the communications network 3700 in a wireless cellularcommunications scheme of 3G, 4G, or the like through the communicationsbase station 3600.

In another example, the server 3400 connected to the communicationsnetwork 3700 may receive information collected by the smart engines 3210and 3310 installed in the lighting fixtures 3200 and 3300, respectively,and may simultaneously monitor an operating state of the respectivelighting fixtures 3200 and 3300 and the like. In order to manage therespective lighting fixtures 3200 and 3300 based on the monitoredoperating state of the respective lighting fixtures 3200 and 3300, theserver 3400 may be connected to the computer 3500 providing a managementsystem. The computer 3500 may execute software and the like that maymonitor and manage an operating state of the respective lightingfixtures 3200 and 3300, and in particular, the smart engines 3210 and3310.

In order to transfer information collected by the smart engines 3210 and3310 to the mobile device 3800 of a user, various communications schemesmay be applied. With reference to FIG. 14, through the communicationsconnection device 3100 connected to the smart engines 3210 and 3310,information collected by the smart engines 3210 and 3310 may betransmitted to the mobile device 3800, or the smart engines 3210 and3310 and the mobile device 3800 may be connected to each other todirectly communicate with each other. The smart engines 3210 and 3310and the mobile device 3800 may directly communicate with each other byvisible light wireless communications (Li-Fi).

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a communications operationbetween a smart engine 3210 of a lighting fixture 3200 and a mobiledevice 3800 via visible light wireless communications. With reference toFIG. 15, a smart engine 3210 may include a signal processing unit 3211,a control unit 3212, an LED driver 3213, a light source unit 3214, asensor 3215, and the like. The mobile device 3800, connected to thesmart engine 3210 via the visible light wireless communications, mayinclude a control unit 3801, a light receiving unit 3802, a signalprocessing unit 3803, a memory 3804, an input/output unit 3805, and thelike.

The visible light wireless communications (Li-Fi) technology may be awireless communications technology of transferring information in awireless manner using light in a visible light wavelength band,perceptible to the human eye. Such a visible light wirelesscommunications technology may be distinguished from an existing wiredoptical communications technology and infrared wireless communicationsin that light within a visible light wavelength band, for example, afrequency of specific visible light from a light emitting packagedescribed in the example embodiment, is used, and may also bedistinguished from a wired optical communications technology in that acommunications environment is wireless. In addition, the visible lightwireless communications technology may provide convenience in that itmay be free of regulations or a need to obtain permission in terms ofusing a frequency band. Li-Fi also boasts increased convenience andsecurity, and allows a user to visibly confirm the establishment ofcommunications links, unlike radio frequency (RF) wirelesscommunications. Furthermore, the visible light wireless communicationstechnology facilitates convergence of disparate technologies by allowinga light source to simultaneously perform a communications function.

With reference to FIG. 15, the signal processing unit 3211 of the smartengine 3210 may process data to be transmitted and received by thevisible light wireless communications. In an example embodiment, thesignal processing unit 3211 may process information collected by thesensor 3215, and transmit the data to the control unit 3212. The controlunit 3212 may control operations of the signal processing unit 3211, theLED driver 3213, and the like, and in particular, may control operationsof the LED driver 3213 based on the data transmitted by the signalprocessing unit 3211. The LED driver 3213 may enable the light sourceunit 3214 to emit light in response to a control signal transferred bythe control unit 3212, and may thus transfer data to the mobile device3800.

The mobile device 3800 may include a control unit 3801; a memory 3804storing data therein; an input/output unit 3805 including a display, atouchscreen, an audio output unit, and the like; a signal processingunit 3803; a light receiving unit 3802 for recognizing visible lightincluding data; and the like. The light receiving unit 3802 may sensevisible light and convert the sensed visible light into an electricalsignal. The signal processing unit 3803 may decode data included in theelectrical signal converted by the light receiving unit 3802. Thecontrol unit 3801 may store data decoded by the signal processing unit3803 in the memory 3804 or output the data through the input/output unit3805 or the like so as to be delivered to a user.

As set forth above, in a lighting system according to exampleembodiments, a plurality of lighting devices included therein mayrespectively store identification information allocated to therespective lighting devices in an NFC tag. The identificationinformation stored in the NFC tag may be collected by an externalcontrol apparatus even before a lighting device is installed and poweris provided thereto, to thus be used to generate settings data of alighting device. Thus, convenience of installing a lighting system maybe improved.

While example embodiments have been shown and described above, it willbe apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications andvariations could be made without departing from the scope of the presentembodiments as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An operating method of a lighting controller, themethod comprising: reading identification information of each of aplurality of lighting devices through near-field communication (NFC)prior to the plurality of lighting devices being installed; mapping theidentification information to installation information of the each ofthe plurality of lighting devices; generating, based on theidentification information that is mapped, settings data for controllingthe plurality of lighting devices; and transmitting the settings data toat least one of the plurality of lighting devices through the NFC. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is encodedand stored in the each of the plurality of lighting devices, and whereinthe identification information is read from the each of the plurality oflighting devices through the NFC.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein thesettings data comprises at least one of grouping information fordividing the plurality of lighting devices into a plurality of groups,lighting scheme control information implemented by the plurality oflighting devices, and lighting zone control information for controllingoperations of the plurality of lighting devices in each of spaces inwhich the plurality of lighting devices are located.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: receiving the installation information froman external server to map the installation information to theidentification information; and transmitting the settings data to theexternal server.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: updatingthe installation information by using the settings data; andtransmitting the updated installation information to the externalserver.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification informationof each of the plurality of lighting devices is stored in an NFC tagincluded in each of the plurality of lighting devices.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: performing an authentication process beforereading the identification information through the NFC.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the installation information comprises layout mapcontaining information regarding a plurality of positions at which theplurality of lighting devices are installed.
 9. The method of claim 8,further comprising: displaying the plurality of positions; mapping theidentification information read from one of the plurality of lightingdevices to one of the plurality of positions, when the one of theplurality of positions is selected; generating the settings data byusing the installation information for the one of the plurality ofpositions.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein when the one of theplurality of positions is selected, the identification information readfrom the one of the plurality of lighting devices located closer than athreshold distance is mapped to the one of the plurality of positions.11. A method comprising: prior to receiving power at a light source:establishing a near-field communication (NFC) session between the lightsource and an external control device, in response to a request from theexternal control device for identification information of the lightsource, transmitting, by the light source, the identificationinformation of the light source to the external control device via theNFC session, and receiving, by the light source and from the externalcontrol device, settings data for the light source; and after receivingpower at the light source, operating the light source according to thesettings data.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the NFC session isestablished when the external control device comes within a thresholddistance from the light source.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein theexternal control device is one of a smartphone, a personal digitalassistant, a personal computer, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, adesktop computer, a remote controller, and a wearable computing device.14. The method of claim 11, wherein the settings data comprises at leastone of illumination intensity, brightness, a color temperature, a tint,and a usage schedule.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the lightsource comprises a sensor collecting at least one of externalenvironmental information and first information regarding operations ofthe light source.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the light sourceoperates based on the settings data and second information collected bythe sensor, after receiving power at the light source.